chicken math - help

[buddymc]

Hi,
I laying out how I would like to build my first coop / run and am trying to be efficient in my planning so as to cut down on waste. I have an area that is 18 ft. by 12 ft. and here my thought...
I want to build a raised coop (cleaning, saving my lower back,etc.), so underneath the coop would be considered usable run space. I've included that in my measurements. I would like to divide my run into 2 sections and alternate the girls. Maybe a couple of weeks on one side, then switch them to the other side.

The reason I would like to do this is I'm not sure how much free range time I'm going to be able to do. I have 3 dogs and my Great Danes seem fine with the chicks, but I have a Briard who is staring a little to intently at them and licking his chops. So even though I would love to free range some...not sure it will happen. If it doesn't then I would let the girls be on one side of the run, while I let the other side grow weeds, throw in some millet, alfalfa or whatever else seeds and then when it's been a few weeks, the girls can go to the side which now has greenery.

So if I've done the math right 18 by 12 divided by 2 = 108 sq. ft. per "yard". So I've got 6 girls now but can see myself getting more based on comments from BYC. I would probably never go above 10. Is this enough room?

What about the coop? Is 5 x 6 enough space? I was also thinking of uping the coop size to 4 by 8 just to save on cuts for plywood / siding which is sold in 4 by 8 sheets.

I'm already horrible at math... so chicken math is worse than that "new math" they tried teaching us in school in the 70's.

Thoughts?

 

[dkvart1]

Buddy, I believe the standard for coops is 4 sq ft per bird and for runs 10 sq. feet per chicken... so

6 chickens would require a coop with 24 sq feet of coop space (but I'm not sure if vertical space counts in that equation!) and 60 sq feet in the run. Your run @ 108 sq feet would be able to accomidate 10 birds, maybe 11.

How much space you want to give your birds above the minimum is up to you, but I've heard it said here that if you reside in an area that's requires the birds to stay indoors in the winter you may want to up the sq footage in the coop ..

 

[buddymc]

I'm in Georgia, 30 minutes outside Atlanta, so cold winters aren't really a problem. More like heat in the summer so I plan on lots of ventilation and shade.

I want them to have more room than less..... so I think I should be okay. I just read different numbers and not sure which are correct. Some say 2.5 - 3 sq ft of coop some 4 sq ft. and then the run I've seen anywhere from 5 - 10 st. ft. per bird.

 

[f8thnjc]

Quote:
Depending on whether or not you want to have bantam breeds or not, the room needed changes. I personally feel that the minimum of 4 sq. ft. is just that: a MINIMUM. Some people will say that you can fit more. I have found it's not a good idea. You increase the possibility of a lot of negatives if they don't have enough room. Now, bantam breeds are smaller, so they don't need quite as much room as large breeds. If you have lots of interesting roosts and "upward room" for them that is a plus, but it doesn't mean you don't need as much floor space.

 

[Bossroo]

The run area where the green weeds, etc. would potentially be... will only last a few days at best. Chickens + greens + limited space + poop + time = Mud hole or bare desert , depending on amount of rain. Revert to "old math" as mother nature hasn't learned the "new math" or even "funny math" in her balance of nature scheame of things.

 

[CCourson05]

For coops, you need at least 2 square feet per bird... For runs, you need at least 4 square feet per bird. As for nesting boxes, you need a minimum of 1 nesting box per 4 hens...

 

[f8thnjc]

If you choose to have 2 sq. ft. per bird...you will be sorry!

 

[CCourson05]

Quote:
You will want more birds... and I agree here... That is a minimum..

 

[TreeHugger]

I've got bantams and have 2 square feet per bird inside the coop. I built them a huge run and they have 30 square foot each outside. During the spring/summer/fall it's a great set up. However, last winter it was horrible since no one wanted to leave the coop. Coop #2 will be completed this spring & I have no plans on increasing my flock size so next winter I'll have the 4 square feet per bird inside the coops. I'm actually a little excited to see the difference next winter!

 

[OkChickens]

I would recommend 4 or more sq ft per large fowl bird. I have 2 coops, a 20x30 coop with 30 birds in it and they have a 12x30 run outside. This is 960 sq ft total and it is approx 32 sq ft per bird. I am wanting to get 15-20 more Hens for egg layers. I sell eggs at a local farmers market. If I have 45 hens in the 20x30 or 960 sq ft coop this is still 21.333 sq ft per bird and they will free range on most days.

I also have a 10x18 with 15 Welsummers in it. This is 12 sq ft per bird. I am in the process of adding a 18x10 run. I will eventually put a total of 20 Welsummers (18 hens and 2 roos. I will have a run when I introduce 4-5 more hens.

The more space the better!!!

What is the weather like where your at? This makes a big difference!

Nate